Todd Cordell: Three positives from the New Jersey Devils' 2019-20 campaign

Hello Todd, excellent summary, particularly Point #3. This once proud franchise is suffering and needs to take some bold steps. This years draft, if done properly, will be a step in the right direction, but that is years away from showing fruition. Next season is already a strange one with the pandemic situation. Be interesting to see how the Devil's ownership and senior management address the product on the ice. They have to be loosing season ticket holders. Who wants to pay a fortune to watch your team lose most nights?

Hey Todd great write up, I was just wondering who do you see as being a better Goaltender between Blackwood and carter hart, and who do you think has the higher ceiling.

all I care about is our 10th and 17th overall picks being screwed with because of this asinine playoff format.

Hey Todd- great way to sum it up.I have a question for you. Doesn’t the pending 24 team playoff bracket screw the Devs. Our potential top 10 pick(Arizona) is now playoff bound even though they are not a playoff team. Selfish of me to say that we deserve that top ten pick on the hall trade especially in a very deep forward draft. Unless....Arizona beats Nashville and Hallsy decided to stay in the desert. Then that gives us 2 firsts.. I’m not holding my breath.
Thanks everyone and stay safe!

1-Hynes had to go ..We need a teacher and someone to let High tallent be tallent...

2-Schneider is done -but him out ...

3-We were very competitive when NAZ took over and fun to watch ,so season was not the failure you propose it was. We developed Hughes ( a little ) Boquist , Bratt , Blackwood .Made some trades for the future.

4-PK is not done ...He had a hard tome transitioning but will be much better this season... Its hard getting traded from a leader on a contender to a rebuild .

5- Bratt ,NICO , Gusev ,Zacha all developed.

6-Agree need ore Dmen ... are Jacobs , White the ANswer???
Smith with help..But butcher looked terrible. Vats will be missed greatly... Bahl is like 12 years old. Walsh resigned with NCAA .


Do the 7 non playoff teams get the only lottery balls now ??? and first 7 picks???

do 10 and 17 change ?? If they win a series??

SUCKS our season is over. We tied Buffalo with points and better win % than
Montreal.

all I care about is our 10th and 17th overall picks being screwed with because of this asinine playoff format.
- MartysBetter88

It’s going to be awesome

i wana know what this means for our AZ and VAN picks. I really hate this tournament idea for multiple reasons. This is basically an exhibition that's going to decide who wins the Cup.

i wana know what this means for our AZ and VAN picks. I really hate this tournament idea for multiple reasons. This is basically an exhibition that's going to decide who wins the Cup.
- MartysBetter88

Hopefully we find out soon, this is all part of the stuff they're still working the details out to, but nobody knows yet. What happens to conditional picks? Does the opening round count as "making the playoffs" for conditional picks? Do the losers of the opening round get into the lottery? The league still has a ton to work out, and hopefully we get more info in the get couple of weeks. Who knows if the games will even happen, its still up in the air right now. I still have my doubts that these playoffs will be completed, if i had to bet on it i'd still say they dont

it is an opportunity for youg players to develop more.IN NJD case it si=ucks tht we dont wven get to practise or play..Or see our team in action.... BAD PLAN !

Apparently we went after the ZSC Lion's Coach Rikard Gronberg but he turned it down. Know that was something that was discussed at some point.

Apparently we went after the ZSC Lion's Coach Rikard Gronberg but he turned it down. Know that was something that was discussed at some point.
- Pomegrant

He didn't turn it down, but the club "refused to grant Gronborg a corresponding release clause in his contract to the New Jersey Devils." Direct translation from the article written about it. So ZSC wouldnt release him from his contract, which has 1 more year left. Time for Gallant, hopefully

Team can’t even hire a coach properly.

Do we have a GM?

He didn't turn it down, but the club "refused to grant Gronborg a corresponding release clause in his contract to the New Jersey Devils." Direct translation from the article written about it. So ZSC wouldnt release him from his contract, which has 1 more year left. Time for Gallant, hopefully
- vlongo4419

in what I read the coach was also happy to coach for another year so I think if he wanted out they would have been able to work something out.

in what I read the coach was also happy to coach for another year so I think if he wanted out they would have been able to work something out.
- Pomegrant

I'm sure he is happy to coach them but that doesnt mean "he turned us down" like the op said(which he didnt). Their team manager specifically said, "New Jersey did it the right way and called us first and asked if they could talk with our head coach. We allowed it, but we made it very clear that we weren't releasing him from his contract."

Gallant has to be the top priority now, and it seems theres likely mutual interest as we've already spoken to Gallant multiple times. They gotta get this done. And remove the interim tag from Fitz.

I'm sure he is happy to coach them but that doesnt mean "he turned us down" like the op said(which he didnt). Their team manager specifically said, "New Jersey did it the right way and called us first and asked if they could talk with our head coach. We allowed it, but we made it very clear that we weren't releasing him from his contract."

Gallant has to be the top priority now, and it seems theres likely mutual interest as we've already spoken to Gallant multiple times. They gotta get this done. And remove the interim tag from Fitz.
- vlongo4419

I keep thinking of Lou Lam’s “when you have time you use it” quote but still, WTF are we doing? Ownership fired Shero January 13th and can’t name a new GM? Ownership said we did this because we want to win now and we can’t hire a head coach? How the (frank) are we improving our team?

How complicated is it to hire Gallant? Are we just waiting for someone else to? Is it too easy to hire the established guy with an impressive NHL record and we have to guy hire someone who’s never coached in this League?

This way this franchise runs is an embarrassment; and really it’s these owners. Not to mention we have the smallest payroll in the league and can’t even resign our star players.

I keep thinking of Lou Lam’s “when you have time you use it” quote but still, WTF are we doing? Ownership fired Shero January 13th and can’t name a new GM? Ownership said we did this because we want to win now and we can’t hire a head coach? How the (frank) are we improving our team?

How complicated is it to hire Gallant? Are we just waiting for someone else to? Is it too easy to hire the established guy with an impressive NHL record and we have to guy hire someone who’s never coached in this League?

This way this franchise runs is an embarrassment; and really it’s these owners. Not to mention we have the smallest payroll in the league and can’t even resign our star players.
- Queenie_5_hole

I understand the frustration. But I read it somewhat differently. I think Gallant has an offer in his pocket and is awaiting to see if something more promising opens up. Just as in free agency, Devils are not the #1 spot to choose - at least not for 2-3 years....

Apparently we went after the ZSC Lion's Coach Rikard Gronberg but he turned it down. Know that was something that was discussed at some point.
- Pomegrant

I don’t blame him

Rumors/talk starting to pop up that the draft lottery will be held on June 26th. Which leads to more speculation that it could possibly only be a 7 team lottery, since its pretty unlikely the opening round is completed before then.

I'm full of crazy thoughts, but maybe.. if you give Gallant a few more million dollars than the other guys, and than you want to give him.. you might sign him.. and he might make all our players better.. and our franchise may be better off in the long run.. and would make us more money than we lost by overpaying Gallant.

BUT THAT'S STEUUPID. You need owners that want to win at all costs, even it means their 12" mattress of money they sleep on is maybe a half inch thinner. gasp.

Not the biggest news but Mitch Hoelscher told TSN radio that he doesn't expect to sign with us by next week's deadline, in which case we'd lose his rights

Not the biggest news but Mitch Hoelscher told TSN radio that he doesn't expect to sign with us by next week's deadline, in which case we'd lose his rights
- vlongo4419

Who?

Who?
- shvingter88

6th round pick from 2018. Broke out in the playoffs last year and continued it this season, but likely due to playing on a loaded 67s team.

Mitchell Hoelscher 2019-20 Ottawa 67's OHL 62 34 42 76

Not the biggest news but Mitch Hoelscher told TSN radio that he doesn't expect to sign with us by next week's deadline, in which case we'd lose his rights
- vlongo4419

Do you know who is making that decision? he has getting better each year and had a real good year this year. Probably not an NHLer, but he is still developing you never know. Hate to just lose assets for nothing.